Rail-joint.



A. LAWRENCE.

RAIL JOINT.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP 1312,1909.

. Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

ALBERT LAWRENCE, 0]? LOS AI TGELES, CALIFORNIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

El-t7 ,108.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

Application filed March 12, 19 09. Serial No. 482,975.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT LAWRENCE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the countyofLos Angeles and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail joints, and has for an object to providea device of this character that can be manufactured at a relatively lowcost, and which will provide means for holding the meeting ends of railswithout the use of the usual spikes or bolts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rail joint that willbe so constructed that the rails may expand or contract without injuryto the joint.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a rail jointwhich will embody but few parts, including a novel form of fasteningadapted for use in retaining rail ends and for adjusting the rails withrespect to each other.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of theinvention is better set forth, and it will be understood that changeswithin the scope of the claim may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

In the drawing, forming a portion of this specification and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the sevoral views:Figure 1, is a perspective view of the meeting ends of two railsshowing the application of my improved joint there to. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view ofthe locking key. Fig. 4: is a detail section through a portion of thekey showing the manner of heading the upper ends of the retaining bolts.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a railjoint 1 comprising a base plate 2 having formed integral therewithvertically extending portions 8 and 4. The portion 3 extends inwardlytoward the center of the base plate and is cut away upon its inner sideas shown at 5 and is beveled to conform to the base flange of the usualrail sections.- The portion 4 is provided with a beveled inner face 6which is spaced from the inner face of the portion 3. A locking key isillustrated at 7 and is of substantially wedge form in cross section andthis key, as shown, is provided the inner face of the portion a of thebase member. The key is provided with a plu-v rality of verticallydisposed passages 9 which open at their upper ends onto the upper faceof the key and at their lower ends onto the face 8 of the key. Aplurality of vertically extending bolts 10 are engaged with the baseplate and extend upwardly'from the face 6 of the portion 4, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The lower threaded extremities of thebolts are seated in correspondingly threaded passages in the base plateand they are removably engaged with the plate to facilitate theoperation of inserting the key operatively between the portion 4 of thebase member and the rail ends. These bolts are provided at their upperextremities with squared ends 11 and beneath the said squared ends thebolts are threaded as indicated at 12 to receive clamping nuts 13.

In practice, I place the meeting ends A and B of rails upon the baseplate as shown clearly inFigs. l and 2 of the drawing, and finally placethe key 7 at one side of the web portions of the rail ends in suchposition that its beveled face 8 lies against the beveled face 6 of theportion 4 of the base plate. After this operation the nuts 13 are drivenonto the threaded portions of the bolts 10 to move the key in a downwarddirection, and in this movement of the key it is obvious that throughits engagement with the rail ends atone side of the web portions, therail ends will be moved, toward the inner faces 3 of the portions 3 ofthe base plate. In order to prevent rotation of the bolts in thepassages 9, I flatten their upper extremities 11 to form a head 14: asshown in Fig. 4: of the drawing.

It will be seen that an extremely simple with a beveled outer face 8conforming to Q and effective rail joint is provided which will obviatethe use of fastening bolts to be engaged directly with the rail ends,and in consequence of the omission of such bolts or the'like it ofcourse prevents weakening of the rail ends as will be readilyappreciated. The construction of the joint fur therprovides meanswhereby the rail ends change intemperature without injury to the railends.

I claim In a .rail joint, a base member having spaced vertical portions,one of the said may expand or contract incident to the vertical portionsbeing adapted to lie against one side of the web portions of the railends, the other vertical portion having a beveled inner face, a keyremovably engaged with the base member and provided with a beveled outerface conforming with the said beveled inner face of one of the verticalportions of the base member, and bolts having lower threaded portionsremovably engaged with the base member, the said bolts being extendedthrough the said key and provided with clamping nuts adapted forfrictional engagement with the upper surface of the key so as to movethe key down wardly and inwardly bringing its inner face into frictionalengagement With the web portions of the rail ends.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT LAVVRENGE.

Witnesses T. F. HENRY, W. E. Ross.

